American Cigarettes Packed With Extra Cancer Chemicals

The Centers for Disease Control have announced the results of a study that shows that people who smoke certain U.S. cigarette brands have higher levels of “cancer-causing tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs),” (which are apparently the major carcinogens and cancer-causing agents in tobacco products) than people who smoke some foreign cigarette brands.

126 people from Australia, Canada, the U.K. and the U.S. who smoke daily agreed to participate in the study. Cigarette butts and urine samples were collected to find out how many of these cancer-causing chemicals made it into the urine.

“Previous studies have shown global differences in TSNA levels due to variations in tobacco blending and curing practices around the world,” [a spokesperson] said in a statement.

“The company is aware of the concerns about TSNAs. For a number of years we have worked to reduce TSNA levels,” he added. “The FDA now has comprehensive regulatory authority over cigarettes. Under FDA regulation, there is now a regulatory structure to evaluate potential reduced harm products. As of today, however, there is no cigarette on the market that public health organizations endorse as offering ‘reduced risk.’ If smokers are concerned about the risks of cigarette smoking, the best thing to do is quit.”

Loosely translated into human, we think this means, “Don’t get any ideas about buying foreign cigarettes on eBay or something.”